Entrepreneurship is often a long process, and it takes time to build the business up. During the process, it’s incredibly easy to stand in the gap and lament your lack of progress in comparison to where you want to be in your business. Ultimately this constant desire for progress ends up harming your motivation and focus far more than it helps, and if you’re not intentional, you will burn out.
When you focus on your gains rather than the gap between where you are and where you want to be, it can help boost your motivation and keep you from burning out. By focusing on what has worked for you so far and celebrating that success, it becomes much easier to stay motivated.
The Gain vs. the Gap
Many entrepreneurs find themselves trapped in worrying about where they want to go versus where they are. It becomes easy to feel like you’re not moving fast enough, and you start to do what is called “future tripping.” Future tripping happens when an entrepreneur gets caught up looking so far ahead to where they want their business to be many years in the future while neglecting everything that they have done thus far. This can easily lead a person to feel that he or she has not accomplished much despite any progress made. Constant focus on the future can lead to discouragement and burnout because it can cause entrepreneurs to lose sight of what they have already achieved (and hence, their gains).
To avoid future tripping and keep yourself motivated, take time each day to reflect on what has worked so far and how you can use that to move forward. Instead of constantly worrying about what’s next (getting more customers, how to expand your products or services, etc.) it’s best to stop and think about what you have already accomplished so far. So often, entrepreneurs get stuck in the trap of thinking there’s no way they can keep moving forward, but if you take a moment to stop and look back at what you’ve already done, it makes it easier to feel more satisfied and motivated knowing that you’re making progress (even if it’s not as fast as you would like).
One of our clients showed up frustrated, and upset on one of our coaching sessions having to hire new team members. She told me her business model is not working because she has to spend more on building a team, and that she doesn’t think her business is sustainable. After going through her P&L for the last 3 years we realized she’s on track to double her revenue this year with 30% profit. If you’re in business, you know these results are respectable. She was so caught up on the next goal she didn’t give herself an opportunity to realize her success. She did not take the time to celebrate her progress. This is just one example of many situations I came across with my clients that focusing on the ‘gap’ verses the ‘gain’ will keep you spinning your wheels straight to burnout.
Below are the 5 tips you can implement to stay focused on your progress towards your goals.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Although you’re making progress and moving forward, it’s important to celebrate the smaller successes along the way too. While not all of your success has happened in the past (the best is yet to come!), your past is the foundation on which your business is standing. Your wins up until now have been instrumental, and you have built something amazing (even if you don’t see it that way yet).
Taking time to celebrate your wins is an important factor in building motivation and keeping your business thriving. And while you’re celebrating, don’t forget about yourself! It’s easy for entrepreneurs to become completely consumed by their businesses and lose sight of their own needs. You won’t be able to keep moving forward if you neglect taking care of yourself. Take time to help yourself with small things so that you can stay strong and keep moving forward!
The words of wisdom from one of my leadership coaches, Michael Strasner: “Your relationship with money is a reflection of your relationship with yourself.”
Emulate Successful People vs. Comparison
No matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, there is always more to learn. Seek out other people who are already on the path that you would like to be walking and learn from them! If you want advice on how to get more customers, then talk to somebody who has learned strategies for getting more customers. You can never learn too much, and you can never rest on your laurels. There’s always more to do! By finding a coach or mentor, you’re also making your journey that much easier for yourself by using their past experiences (wins and failures) to help guide your own. If you’re looking to transform from solo mompreneur into the CEO of a six figure company, I can help! Schedule your breakthrough call today.
So many entrepreneurs get discouraged thinking that it will take them forever to achieve success because they are comparing themselves to those who have already achieved success in their fields. In other words, if you want to build a big business selling chocolate chip cookies so that you can travel the world in your private jet, then don’t compare yourself to someone who has already done that. Instead, find a smaller company that is also selling chocolate chip cookies; now they’re your competitor! By finding and comparing yourself to those around you, you eliminate the feeling of hopelessness (feeling like you’ll never get there), and you can now use the motivation of those around you to help keep yourself going!
Take Control of Your Thoughts
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to be consumed by negative thoughts. If you want to build a business that succeeds, you have got to make sure that your mindset is in control and that you are focusing on the positive things rather than dwelling on all of the negativity. Take time daily to think about what YOU want for your life, and focus on what you’re doing to get there. Make lists of what you want, and consider how far along you are with your goals (the distance between where you currently are and where you want to be). The more specific your list is, the better off you’ll be because it helps to keep your end goal in sight at all times!
Watch out for Complacency
It’s easy to go through the motions and just continue doing what you’ve always been doing. If that’s working for you, great! However, if it’s not working then don’t be afraid to change things up a little bit so that you can keep yourself moving forward. If your business is struggling, take a step back and look at your business to make sure you aren’t just coasting along. Be careful of the pitfalls that can surround growing businesses, such as complacency or letting yourself be consumed by your business so much that you forget about YOU!
It’s tough building a business from scratch. There are lots of ups and downs, but when you have your eye on the prize and keep yourself moving forward, you will reach success. Don’t ever forget to stop and acknowledge all of your hard work!
Create Goals For Yourself
Each day when you wake up, set goals for yourself. Success is the sum of your daily action. Ensure that what you’re doing on a daily basis is important to you. Focus on what matters most. Log them in a planner or write them down on some note cards and keep them with you at all times so that you can be reminded of your larger goal every time that you look at them. Be sure to include the SMART method when creating your business goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.
Overview
Overall, it’s important to be patient in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a long game that takes time and effort. You just need to trust the process of building your business up! Rather than focusing on what you don’t have or where you want to go, focus on all of the gains that you’ve achieved so far and use those as motivation for moving forward. Remember- every day when you wake up set goals for yourself with the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Watch out for complacency because if your business isn’t working then change things up! Take control of your thoughts by setting daily goals and creating plans that work best for YOU!
Need some extra support in taking your business to the next level? Join the conversation in The Prosperous Mom Collective! You’ll get great tips and tricks on how to have it all as a business owner and mompreneur. Want some personalized support? Let’s chat.